The Greatest Crop of Two-year-old Pacing Colts Ever
When we look back on the 1996 racing season in years to come, there will surely be a number of standout performances that will remain etched in our minds. Continentalvictory's dominance in the 3-year-old trotting ranks has been one of the most talked about stories of the year, with very good reason. In 1996, she shattered speed records for both colts and fillies while defeating her male counterparts in the Yonkers Trot, The Hambletonian and the World Trotting Derby. Just as she appeared poised to become the first Triple Crown winner since Super Bowl in 1972...and the first filly ever at either gait, Continentalvictory was stopped by lameness. Nontheless, she is likely to become the second straight filly trotter to be named Horse of the Year (C.R. Kay Suzie was so-named in 1995).
In the aged pacing division; the season-long battle between Jennas Beach Boy and Riyadh...world records set by those two on all sized tracks...Stand Forever's world record of 1:49.2 on the twice-round oval, and a general re-writing of the record books in virtually every meaningful category, with every pacing record in the sub-1:50 category.
The aged mares have been led by She's A Great Lady, who has set new standards of 1:51 on both 5/8 and 1/2 mile tracks, pumping her list of World Records to three in the past two seasons.
The 3 year-old pacing fillies have been absolutely dominated by Mystical Maddy, with wins in an incredible 18 of her 20 starts. With over $850,000 in seasonal earnings as of this writing, Mystical Maddy eclipsed the 12 year-old record of Naughty But Nice ($789,165) in that department.
On the other hand, the 3 year-old colts have been a non-descript group, with many pretenders to the throne, but no royal performers. As the year progressed, Hot Lead, Mattduff, Arizona Jack all took turns in their run for the crown. Year-end honours will come down to a vote between Hot Lead, who hasn't raced since August, and Armbro Operative, winner of the Little Brown Jug and Breeders Crown. If Hot Lead were to win the honours, it would mark the first time in the 45 year history of the award that a gelding was named sophomore champion.
Certainly, one of the most memorable aspects of the season has to be the exploits of the great crop of 2 year-old colt pacers. Oftentimes throughout the year, observers have been left to wonder at the speed of this group. Speculation has been rampant that this group of juvenile pacers could actually defeat their 3 year-old counterparts!! And I, for one, could not offer much of an argument contrary to that observation...at least not one likely to stand up to rigorous challenge. For, this is the greatest crop of 2 year-olds ever.
In most years, there will be one or two standouts in the Juvenile division, and often there will be ONE individual that dominates the group. But, look at this crop: Jeremy's Gambit was the early season sensation, winning a skein of races that included a world-record equalling 1:51.4 win in the New Jersey Sire Stake final on July 18. With the win, he joined pevious record holders Deal Direct, America's Pastime, Magical Mike, Jennas Beach Boy and Live Or Die. He looked to be the King of the castle. And, for one month, he was!! But after a two month lay-off, Jeremy's Gambit came back to look ordinary in this sparkling group of freshmen.
On August 17, The Big Dog eclipsed the 1:51.4 mark that had stood since Deal Direct first established it in 1990. Incredibly, the Ontario-bred full brother to She's A Great Lady set the new 1:51.3 standard on a 7/8th-mile track, in an Ontario Sire Stake. Fluke, right? Wrong. The Big Dog came back the following week to win an elimination of the Metro Pace by eight lengths...again in 1:51.3. AND in the Metro Final one week later, The Big Dog did much of the work, before finishing second in yet another 1:51.3 mile! Finally, in the $612,600 Governors Cup final on November 16, this remarkable son of Dexter Nukes won again in 1:51.3, marking the third time he has matched his own world record in a three month span.
There has never been a 2 year-old pacer who paced FOUR miles (three wins) in sub-1:52 time. And in any previous year, only one juvenile performer from the crop had managed the feat (except in 1990, when Artsplace paced his incredible 1:51.1f mile at Pompano). But not in 1996. Besides Jeremy's Gambit and The Big Dog, TWO other 2 year-olds have taken sub-1:52 marks. In the aforementioned Metro Pace, Gothic Dream, a son of Jate Lobell, defeated The Big Dog in a world record-equalling 1:51.3, marking the third week in a row that Woodbine Raceway played host to record races. Then, in the Governors Cup eliminations, little known Village Jove (full brother to Village Jiffy p,2,1:53.2f; 3,1:52.4f; 5,1:50; $1,527,683) gunned to the front at the half, and took a new mark of 1:51.4, with a final half of :55.4.
Remarkably, in many of these miles, the second place finisher was not far off. For instance, when The Big Dog set the first 1:51.3 mark, he only defeated By Xample by 1 1/4 lengths. Thus, two Ontario-bred juveniles paced in 1:51.4 in that mile. When Gothic Dream won the Metro, The Big Dog was race-timed in 1:51.4. And, when The Big Dog was matching his own world record in the final of the Governors Cup, pace-setter His Mattjesty only failed by one length, individually timed in 1:51.4 after being parked to a gruelling :54.3 first half.
There are four horses that will garner support in the voting for 2 year-old Pacing Colt of the Year in 1996. Jeremy's Gambit, with his early season heroics, has earned more than $500,000, yet the former world champion likely knocked himself out of contention with lacklustre efforts in his last four tries. Gothic Dream defeated The Big Dog in the Metro, equalling the world record in the process, finished second in the Breeders Crown, and was the giant-killer in Lexington when he handed Jeremy's Gambit his first loss. He currently has over $627,222 on his card, won numerous Ontario Sires Stakes, the Governors Cup, finished second in the Metro, and equalled his world record three times. His bankroll currently stands at $648,302. The final 2 year-old to be considered for year-end honours is His Mattjesty. A winner of his Metro elimination, His Mattjesty faltered to fifth after leading to the top of the stretch in the final. Since then, he has defeated Gothic Dream four consecutive times, won the Breeders Crown, and finished second (race-timed in 1:51.4) to The Big Dog in the Governors Cup. He is the leading money-winning 2 year-old in a season of standouts, with $685,072, yet only sports a 1:53.3f mark.
In the end analysis, it is probable that the voters will split consideration for 2 year-old honours between The Big Dog and His Mattjesty. No matter which way the voting goes, 1996 has seen a number of remarkable performances by its freshman pacing colts. It has oft been said that ìIt all comes down to the Breeders Crown...but in this season of truly outstanding youngsters, The Matron Stakes eliminations and final (November 25 and 30) may carry an inordinate amount of influence...that's what it takes...the Matron Stakes!!!
By the way, the No Nukes influence is clearly evident among the 2 year-old champions highlighted in this months offering to the faithful. No Nukes is the sire of Jeremy's Gambit. He is also the grand-sire of Gothic Dream (through his sire Jate Lobell)...of The Big Dog (through his sire Dexter Nukes)...and of His Mattjesty (through his No Nukes mother Lady Hathaway). Consider also Riyadh (Jate Lobell), Sheís A Great Lady (Dexter Nukes) and a host of new performers popping up out of No Nukes, and more recently Jate Lobell mares, and the future impact of No Nukes is clearly one to be reconned with.
I apologize to those of you who have been surfing to this site for the past two weeks, expecting to find the November BLOODLINES...for naught. I was tied up with commitments related to Harrisburg, and a new venture known as CYBERSTABLE. But...that's another story!! I will endeavour to place my December page on the site in three weeks. See you all then.
Ralph.
